Republic FC announced today the addition of academy player Brooks Doolittle to the club’s first team roster. The goalkeeper has signed a USL Academy Contract, pending league and federation approval, and will be eligible to play in first team matches in 2026.
“Bringing academy players onto the first team and introducing them to its environment prepares them for the next level,” said Republic FC Head Coach Neill Collins, “This is not an opportunity that everyone gets, and we’re looking forward to seeing how Brooks continues to grow from it.”
A Greenbrae, California native, Doolittle is a new addition to Republic FC’s academy. Since joining the Indomitable Club just last year, he has earned seven clean sheets in 12 appearances. Prior to his appearance with SRFC, the 6’3″ seventeen-year-old played for San Jose Earthquakes Academy and Bay Area Surf. He has also received invitations to both U.S. Soccer ID camps and national training camps.
Doolittle joins a group of six current and former Academy players on this year’s first team roster. Da’vian Kimbrough, Blake Willey, and Chibi Ukaegbu have risen through the ranks to sign professional contracts with their hometown team, while defenders Rohan Chivukula and Luke Strassburg signed USL Academy Contracts in December. USL Academy Contracts allow academy players the chance to train and compete with the first team in professional matches while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
Since its inception in 2015, Republic FC’s Academy has created a strong, local pipeline of youth players ready for professional-level competition, with over 40 players earning the opportunity to join the first team on USL Academy contracts and over 25 going on to sign professional contracts with Republic FC or other clubs. In 2025, players from Sacramento’s youth academy combined for 80 gameday roster selections, 56 appearances, and over 3,000 minutes.
Republic FC’s 2026 season officially kicks off on March 7 when Republic FC and Tulsa FC face off in a showdown of the top two teams in the west last year, kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Heart Health Park. Tickets are available now at SacRepublicFC.com.
